We were at Petite for two years and our entire family had a great experience. The teachers were warm and caring, Vickie and Andy were great, and our child made some great friends. The student teacher ratio is great, and we love the way the teachers support the kids' learning both intellectually and socially / emotionally. read more

We couldn't say nicer things about the Petit family after sending both of our kids through preschool there. Miss Vickie and Mr. Andy have filled the school with the most wonderfully loving and vibrant teachers, and the community is top notch. The place exudes warmth and fun, and both of the kids thrived there (which means us parents did too!) read more

We've had our 2 year old daughter at Petite Explorers the last year and could not possibly say enough good things about the program Miss Vickie is running. When our daughter started, she had only ever been with a nanny and two other children at a small home daycare. She is physically cautious and slow to warm with other children. We worried about how she would do in a classroom of 10+ children. We have seen her grow IMMENSELY the last year. Petite Explorers has really excellent ratios (this was a big deciding factor when we interviewed at other preschools in the area). At one point, her room was 9 kids with a 1:3 ratio. They cap it low intentionally and it shows. On a daily basis, we get probably 5-10 photos and videos of her enjoying her day with her friends, and we know exactly when she fell asleep, woke up, and used the potty. Every day at pick up, the lead teacher in her classroom has a convo with us to tell us about her day. They are extremely attentive and communicative. We never have any questions or concerns about what's going on. I can't tell you as a first time parent what a relief it is to not have to give a single thought on a daily basis on whether your child is being well-cared for and enjoying life. Our daughter is a different person than she was when she started. She is full of joy and looks forward to going to school every single day, has excellent hygiene, manners, and social skills - I am constantly impressed with what new habits she picks up from school and takes home with her. She is not even 3 and comes home speaking full sentences telling us about her day at Petite. They have a very thoughtful balance of play-based care and structure that provides educational opportunities (like learning counting, the ABCs, and the weather). Their facilities are extremely clean and child friendly (small potties and sinks, etc.), spacious, and sunny. The play area is quite large considering it's in the middle of the city, and the campus is very safe and requires a personal code to enter through a really tall and secure fence, so I have never been worried about safety. Miss Vickie (owner and director) is sunshine on earth. She is a mother of two kids who are older now, so she's seen it all. She spends afternoons at the Mission location and mornings at the NOPA location, knows every single child and parent by name and remembers every single detail. She is so warm and you can just tell how deeply she cares about the program and building community. We are moving out of San Francisco later this summer and the hardest part about the move by a mile has been having to pull our daughter out of Petite Explorers. THANK YOU for the best year ever. read more

Our daughter attended Petite Explorer (Mission campus) from age 2.5 - 4.5, and we loved every minute of it. Some highlights from our daughter's experience: * The teachers foster an environment where the friends (aka students) can be themselves. Our daughter's confidence sky rocketed at PE. They encouraged her to sing loudly in the yard, validated her nervous feelings during Friday show and tells, and give her plenty of opportunities to practice leadership through walks to dance class, weather watching, and filling in the classroom calendar. * Our daughter learned a lot academically and social/emotionally. By her second year, she could recognize and write capital letters, count to 100, and tell you all about marine life in various ocean layers. Social/emotionally, PE taught her how to "check in" on friends, ask permission before hugging/touching, and resolve conflict. * The parents are cool. I cannot say enough good things about PE. We feel so lucky to be part of the warm, inviting community Andy and Vickie have created. I'm counting down the days until our son can start! read more

Our family has been part of Petite Explorer for the past two years, and we couldn't be happier with our experience! Andy and Vickie are such warm individuals whose energy permeates through the entire school. They have created such a warm and welcoming community here that extends beyond the walls of the school. We have gotten to know so many wonderful families and had so many fun park play dates! Seeing our son blossom over the last few years has been so amazing to watch. The teachers are kind, passionate and engaging. Really fantastic overall. He has developed so much socially and emotionally. It's been so wonderful seeing him go from being a super shy kid to playing with all the friends, loosening up in dance class and talking about his learnings from all the classroom projects. The project-based learning approach has really been instrumental in fostering our son's curiosity and creativity. We've seen him thrive in an environment where hands-on exploration is encouraged and celebrated. We would absolutely recommend PE to families looking for a preschool. Our son's growth and happiness are a testament to the exceptional care and education that PE has provided. read more

Petite Explorer is a fantastic place for kids to grow and thrive. Our son attended Petite Explorer from ages 2.5 to 5, and Miss Vickie along with the entire teaching staff are incredible with the children. It's been heartwarming to watch our son flourish in such a supportive and positive environment. Thanks to the teachers, he's now thriving in kindergarten, feeling confident and prepared. We felt very lucky to be part of this great community and truly can't thank everyone enough for their dedication and care. Highly recommended! read more

Our family has had children attending Petite Explorers for 3 years, our oldest has been attending for all three years and our youngest has been attending for 1 year. We are so incredibly grateful to have found Petite Explorers 3 years ago and our experience there has been truly spectacular in every way. First, the teachers are just outstanding. They are so patient, so kind, and, maybe most importantly, so passionate about helping the children grow and develop. We really understand the very versatile strengths of the teachers, since we have been through all of the different levels of the school with our oldest and our youngest child, who has been there for one year, is very different than our oldest. For our oldest, seeing his progression from 2 year-old in the Petite Room to a 5 year-old in the Explorer room has been amazing. The teachers at every level were so fantastic, and our child has learned so much in his time at PE. He has developed, social, emotional, and intellectual skills that are a testament to PE and really are a representation of the high quality of their programs. The project learning aspect is really great, our children often come home talking about the things they learn in their project work, and we are amazed at the effort and quality the teachers put into the projects. The transformation of our youngest child, who has only been at the school for 1 year, has been amazing! He came in with almost no exposure to other kids, due to the pandemic, and was difficult to deal with. His transformation over the past year into a caring, respectable human is just mind-boggling and PE deserves so much of the credit! He also is especially excited about letters, numbers and shapes, and they went out of their way to find toys and materials to help him learn at a fast pace! The logistics are also very easy to deal with. Drop offs and pick ups are very flexible. During the pandemic, PE opened up as soon as it reasonably could, and remained open the entire time since June 2020. Their effort to be safe and conservative with health, but also want to bring children back to the classroom (and keep them there) was truly awesome. It is so hard to manage a preschool in a pandemic and we felt that they did everything they could to keep the children in school and keep them having the kind of preschool experience that kids should have. Also, the other parents are a lot of fun to spend time with, the community is fantastic, and we have non-stop playdates and birthday parties! From Andy and Vicky down through all the teachers, this is really just a stellar preschool experience, I honestly can't imagine a better one. read more

Petite Explorer has completely exceeded all expectations we had in a preschool for our daughter! We started during COVID, something we were admittedly nervous about, but Andy, Vickie and all of the teachers were incredibly supportive, respectful and did great job at taking every precaution possible to keep the children and families safe. It is obvious that Petite Explorer is not just a job for the teachers, they are engaged and caring, creating fun learning opportunities based on children's interests, and it's obvious they love what they do. In fact, our daughter begs to go to school on the weekends because she loves her teachers and friends so much. Vickie and Andy have done an incredible job of building a school and tight-knit community in one with Petite Explorer -- we are so happy to have found it! read more

We could not be happier as parents for the absolutely incredible experience that PEP has given our daughter. She has been enrolled full time at PEP for over the past 2 years now. The development, interaction, and progression that we see our daughter go through is remarkable. My son will enroll here in just a few months. Before we chose PEP, we visited other schools in San Francisco and were not nearly impressed. I'm from San Jose and work in San Francisco and the drive for me here is definitely worth every miles! The staff are all friendly, knowledgeable and a joy to be around. Feels like family! Their concern for every child is genuine. They have impacted our daughters life for the better and we are thankful for each and every one of them. Cleanliness and safety are paramount at this location. I feel safe when I drop off my daughter before going to work. Overall, I highly recommend PEP. We are all excited to being an active part of this family and being treated like one. Thank you Vickie, Andy and staff for this wonderful place! read more

I have so many fantastic things to say about this warm, loving, sweet, and safe environment for early education. All of the teachers, administrators, facilities, and curriculum were exceptional and I felt confidant and comfortable leaving my young child in their hands. I wish we could stay at Petite Explorer! read more

I don't usually write reviews, but if I could tell everyone how wonderful this preschool is, I would. Words can not express how thankful I am to have the PE family taking care of our kiddo. Ms. Vickie is amazing. Her love and care for children shines through the whole school. I was so nervous to put our little one in preschool as she's always had a FT nanny and been incredibly shy, and while we looked at other schools, we had our heart set on PE after meeting the staff and seeing the kids play. In saying that, we had no idea how great it would actually be. This school not only helps the kids learn, but there's so much love given to them while they're exploring. The teachers and staff here truly listen to what parents feel and say. Whether it be immediate responses on the app or just discussing with us daily what our kiddo is doing, how she's progressing, or hearing out our concerns about areas we want her to grow - they do it all. Our shy kiddo has learned to come out of her shell naturally (no one pushed her), and has really developed (mentally, emotionally, physically) through the gentle kind nature of the teachers, staff, and Ms. Vickie's philosophies. Again, they really go the extra mile here. From school projects to just really leaning into what each kid loves, the school make sure that the children feel at home. On top of that, our child has learned things I never would have thought to explain to her (like bug projects, parts of the body of a spider, the full process from caterpillar to butterfly, etc.) on top of making the standard learnings (ABCs, etc.) fun! We can not say better things about this school, the teachers, Ms. Vickie, the parents, or the kids. Thank you Petite Explorer for loving our kiddo (and all the wonderful kids) as much as we do as parents. read more

My almost 5 year old have been at Petite Explorere for 2 years. I has been a great experience, and better for her social and emotional development than her previous experience at Bright Horizons. She has learned a lot of preschool content (spelling, science, etc) Petite Explorere is a fun child-centered learning environment where your kids will be safe, supported and flourish. They have a great group of parents, and I espcially recommend the school for Inner Mission/Central Mission parents looking to build community. read more

Petite is a special place for our kids. Our daughter went here until she graduated out to kindergarten, and our son is still there. Miss Vickie and Andy have created an environment where the teachers are happy and the kids feel loved and encouraged to grow and learn. Props to them and many thanks for their incredible impact on our family and many others! read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about Petite Explorer. Vickie (the school's director) is amazing. All of the teachers are so caring and thoughtful. From day 1, I knew our kids were in the best of hands at PE. It's such an amazing feeling to know that your kids are safe, well cared for, having fun, AND learning. Our daughter was there for almost two years (from the time she was 3 until just after she turned 5), and our son was there for just under a year (started at 2.5). Both of our children loved attending PE so much, and they learned so much. Within a few months of starting at PE, our son went from speaking a few words to speaking full sentences. We only left because we moved down to SoCal, and we were all so sad to have to leave such an incredible school. I really can't say enough great things about Petite Explorer. read more

Our daughter attended Petite Explorer from ages 3.5 to 5.5 and we could not have asked for a better experience for our child and for our family. We toured preschools for over two years, unsure what we wanted for our first child. We had finally put a deposit down on one school, then one day, a random encounter with a fellow parent led us to checking out Petite Explorer. From the moment we toured the school and met the owners Vickie and Andy, we knew that PE was the right choice for us. We abandoned our deposit and made the decision to enroll our daughter right then and there. The classrooms were so well-thought out, warm and welcoming, and the ample outdoor space was also really appealing. The vibe that we got from Vickie and Andy, and particularly how Vickie (also the head teacher) interacted with our daughter made us all feel immediately at home. We knew this was going to be the best place for us and we were right. Later on, what I learned and am so grateful for is Vickie's gift not only for connecting with children, but her talent and thoughtfulness in hiring and training excellent teachers that match her admirable level of warmth and caring. The teachers at PE are are all so skilled at what they do; it's obvious how much their work means to them. Seeing our daughter learn and grow under their wings has been one of the top highlights of the past two years. The other wonderful, unexpected benefit of PE has been the parent community. We have been so lucky to meet many wonderful families who have been able to share in the joys (and trials!) of raising small children with us and with whom we have been able to depend on and connect with in and outside of the PE doors. PE provided us with the village we didn't know we needed. The environment Vickie, Andy, and the teachers take so much care to provide, the love they show, and the remarkable patience (!) they have are all things we aspire to replicate at home. They have truly been our teachers as well. I can't thank PE enough for the huge impact they have had in our lives. read more

My kid has been attending PE for about 2 years and while we were nervous to transition schools during the pandemic, it was 1000% the right call. Every teacher we've come across, in small or large ways, has been caring, patient, flexible, and professional. Through 2 different classrooms, our child's language and communication skills blossomed, confidence and compassion was fostered, and their personality flourished. Our child's understanding and sense of community has grown exponentially, alongside their curiosity for learning. The lessons that they take on with project based learning is incredible, the teachers do an amazing job bringing fun and curiosity to complex subjects. Logistically, Andy, Vicky and the team is so easy to work with, from them actually using the app daily (which was not our experience at other places), to having reasonable pickup and dropoff times, creating a safe space for kids in an increasingly scary world, to being highly communicative (and caring and reasonable) about difficult and every-changing protocols during pandemic times- we just cannot say enough wonderful things about PE. Andy and Vicky run the show with love, care and professionalism, and it shows in their staff and the range of families that attend. It truly is a wonderful community. As we look towards our kiddos next year at kindergarten, we're truly sad to leave the family that is all of the PE team. read more

Very impressed with the extensive programs (forward thinking) and approach (full confidence w/Vickie Lam, Head Teacher of PEP). I enjoy conversations with Vickie whenever we discuss early childhood development and kids related topics. I am a parent. What a great school! The future is brighter with your leadership and team! Keep up the good work! #buildastrongcommunity read more

Petite Explorer is hands down the most fabulous preschool in the city!! Our son started attending just after he turned 2 years old and has absolutely flourished here. All of the teachers are sweet, caring, energetic, enthusiastic, calm and nurturing. They provide a loving and stimulating environment - arts and crafts, dance parties, water play, sand box, trucks, trains, blocks, books, guitar playing, small animals, pinatas...you name it, they do it. Every day is a fresh adventure. Every day our son leaves home happy, and he returns home fulfilled! Miss Vickie, the Head Teacher, is just as engaged, wonderful and responsive as all the class teachers. She knows all the kids' names. It is clear that she runs a happy, respected, and successful team. The facilities are also awesome - clean and new - with plenty of indoor and outdoor space for the kids. The staff communicate seamlessly with parents throughout the day (using the Brightwheel app), sharing photos, messages, schedules, etc. We feel so fortunate to have been part of the PE community. During COVID, our family moved to the Peninsula, yet we continued to drive our son to/from PE every day for 3+ months. THAT is how much we value and love this place! Speaking of COVID, during the pandemic, everyone at PE has been incredibly cautious and transparent, they have actively practiced safe procedures, and have been great at talking and collaborating with parents. We toured countless preschools in San Francisco, and Petite Explorer is genuinely where we felt the most love. I would give it 6 stars if I could! read more

I've been to this school and these people are on top of their game. To me, it is very important for schools to have a small teacher to student ratio. That always seemed to be one of the most important parts of any quality educational environment. It's obvious that they do not have making money as their first priority. It seems that the quality of the education is first and foremost in this school. Highly recommended read more

Today is our kid's last day at this fabulous school. Our kid attended the school for the last two years, and we couldn't be happier with his development. The kids learn to express their emotions and support their friends. Petite Explorer was the first & only school we toured and they sold me with their STEM approach. We toured together with our kid and there was an instant connection between them. Vicky showed our kid everything and explained what is going to happen in school. The school has a project-based learning concept, which allows the kids in the class to vote for their next few weeks' main curricula. Vicky does a great job of selecting the teachers. All of them were so loving and carrying. Our kid will miss this school. read more

We love love love love our preschool. Gali, our 3 yo girls, has grown and flourished so much since joining 6 months ago. All the teacher are so dedicated and loving - it's amazing. When the parents come to pick up the kids the kids often refuse to leave - that tells you something. We just came back from a vacation in Hawaii and everyday our girl asked when she's going back to school. read more

Toured this beautiful school. This place is a GEM! We toured many preschools and this place really stood out. Miss Vicky's experience and attention to detail truly shines through. In most schools, the staff ratio is usually 1:12 or if you're lucky, 1:8. This place is 1:5! They also have their own outdoor area which is great! We are currently on the waitlist and fingers crossed we get in! read more

Petite Explorer is a wonderful community for my kiddo and our family. The directors, Andy and Vickie, have done a terrific job keeping the school open and safe for students and families through 2020-2021. My 4-year old couldn't be happier at school - she has a great class of friends and teachers who make learning fun and exciting. I highly recommend PE! read more

We feel incredibly lucky to have been part of the PE community. Our daughter was a student in the Explorer Room (4-5 year olds.) We were consistently impressed with Vickie, the school's director, and the teachers on her team. They communicated very effectively to parents daily via an app with photos and captions and a weekly newsletter. We felt confident that our child was well cared for, learning and having fun! read more

If I could give this preschool 10 stars I would. My daughter went here for 2 years and they are awesome. They allow the kids to be themselves but still have structure. The kids vote on a project to focus on and then they do a deep dive. I've never seen such dedicated teachers. Andy and Vicki who run the school are amazing. We are so so sad to be leaving PE (my child is going to kindergarten), and I couldn't give a stronger endorsement of the school. read more

where to start? everything about this school fit our values and expectations. 1. love + affection: after a horrifying experience at another pre-school in the city, we knew that our first priority was to find a school where our daughter will experience love and affection every day. At Petite Explorer, she runs to the teachers every day for a hug and a kiss. They shower her with attention, listen to her stories and always let her sit on their lap at story time. Not all kids want or need physical attention, but for kids who do- this place is a gem. 2. kids wellbeing come first (before business decisions): I've seen this so many times- not adding new kids until the class has a good rhythm (even if it means the school is missing out on tuition), buying the highest quality materials / games, moving kids to another classroom where they will thrive more. I never second guess the Director's recommendation b/c I've seen her choose my kid over money or convenience, so I know she puts us in first place. 3. staff: wow! such an incredible staff. the way they are patient with the kids, the way they teach them how to interact, voice their feelings, teach them about numbers and body parts. it's been unbelievable to see my daughters brain and skillset grow and develop so quickly at school. I feel the benefit of Petite Explorer in my body, every day. When I go to work, and I just don't worry about my kid, I know she's in great hands, she's happy and she's with someone who loves her. I am so so grateful that I found this gem and forever remember the impact they made on our family. read more

I couldn't imagine a better preschool than that for my daughter. The preschool manages to combine an atmosphere of play and learning at the same time. My 3 years old daughter Maya loves to come to the preschool and tells about her time there with joy and excitement. I so happy to have found this preschool and I feel safe that my daughter is in the right place for her. read more

My son attended and had a phenomenal time. He grew so much while there. The teacher to student ratio is incredible. The school focuses on what I think are the most important areas for development -- an awareness of emotions, interacting constructively with friends, learning by enabling curiosity and projects. The couple that runs the school is incredibly involved and hands on with the teachers and kids -- - they know every kid's name. It's really a lovely community they've built. The school is well run, clean, safe. It exceeded all expectations! read more

My son just started at Petite Explorer and he is doing SO well! We are really happy there so far. What sold me on it right off the bat is Vicky the Head Teacher. She is LOVELY! So nurturing, smiling, happy and positive. She is a former SFUSD Early Ed teacher with tons of experience. She started the school with her husband Andy, who runs the operational sides of the school. He is also great and super communicative. The other teachers so far have all been awesome too! Really happy, positive, strong and experienced. All the facilities and materials are brand new, really cute and state-of-the-art, lots to do/build/see/explore. There is a large outdoor space, some turf soft grass with playhouses etc, some concrete for riding tricycles. The school uses "Brightwheel" an app to send regular photo and video updates of everything your kiddo is doing throughout the day, including nap start and end times! Its really addictive, like your own little facebook page for your kiddo. My kid is thriving. I was really worried about him using the potty, eating his lunch or even taking a nap. He definitely has struggled in all three of those areas more than his older sister did when she turned 3. None of those have been issues so far. He comes home every day super energized and excited about his day, singing all the songs he learned and telling me in his own way about what they did. Its like he's on fire for learning! The parents are a really nice, outgoing and social crew. They organize a monthly pizza meetup at Dolores Park and they all rallied to attend my sons birthday even though we had just started that same week. I was really touched. Its really convenient. Hours are great. Drop off/Pick up super easy. read more

Our family absolutely love Petite Explorer and highly recommend it to anybody looking for a preschool. The teachers are phenomenal - patient, loving, and communicative. The Brightwheel app keeps parents in the loop of classroom announcements and daily activity (plus pictures!). Andy and Vickie are wonderful and understanding. The entire staff went above and beyond during Covid to keep kids and teachers safe, while keeping the school open. We have absolutely loved our time at PE. It was one of the best decisions we made as parents! read more

We love Petite Explorer! The teachers are all so warm and caring, and make efforts to communicate well with parents. Our son has learned a lot of social and emotional skills here and I've been impressed with the way the staff handles occasionally challenging behavior. The hours and schedule are very convenient for working parents, and the school has beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces. We are very happy we chose Petite Explorer for our son!! read more

My daughter was at this preschool for 1 year. She really loved it, made friends and seemed to have connections with her teachers. My husband & I were heartbroken when we were asked to leave in the nastiest of ways, with my daughters belongings by the doorway after I had written an email to the owners concerned about air quality in her classroom after some hot summer days. I had witnessed an awful scene of sweaty kids and teachers with red faces in a room with only a small fan. Even the teachers complained after I made a concerned remark! To me it was a health safety issue not to install an AC and have the kids continue to be in a room like a sauna. The owners say they care for the children well being, but I did not have that experience. I was told later I am not the first parent being kicked out in such a manner. The school seems good for the price, but beware of how the owners like to handle concerned parents who express themselves. read more

We've been at P.E. for 1.5 years and we are very thankful for the school and the entire team! Our daughter has grown immensely since she started - especially regarding her emotional development and ability to problem solve independently. We know she's extremely well cared for, loved, and nurtured - it's everything we could hope for in an early childhood learning environment. Super supportive and feels like family and like home. :) read more

Petite Explorers is such a special place. When we were looking at preschools, we really wanted a nurturing and community oriented preschool where the children had plenty of room to be challenged, be silly, and learn to be part of a community. We feel so lucky to have found Petite Explorers which has been all that and more. Our daughter joined Petite Explorers as a very shy 3 yo, and fast forward two years, and it's astonishing to see how much our rising Kindergartener has grown. Our once shy kid runs into school with confidence in the mornings because she can't wait to see her teachers, her friends, and work on her art projects, build a cool structure, you name it! She beams when she sees anyone related to the Petite community -- from teachers, friends, parents, and even the teachers, friends, parents, and siblings in other classrooms. At Petite, we've been really impressed with how our daughter has been encouraged to stand up for herself, explore her own creativity, challenged to try new puzzles, books, projects, and fundamentally develop a love of school, friendships, and learning. We've also been so grateful to simultaneously be welcomed into a community of incredibly welcoming families who -- encouraged by the school pre-Covid -- organized park picnics, offer to pick my daughter up from school for after school playdates, all things I hoped to but did not expect to find in San Francisco. I've been doubly impressed with how the school has navigated the uncertainty caused by Covid with a ton of communication, and an incredibly well executed and thoughtful re-opening. Even the grandparents are constantly telling us how lucky we are to have found such an incredible school for our daughter, as we gave them access to the Brightwheel App so they get to see all the cool projects and pictures from school. A truly incredible experience for our daughter and we're so sad to be graduating so soon! read more

We've had such a great experience at Petite Explorer! The teachers are all so knowledgeable and caring, the space is fun and bright, and it's a wonderful community. Our son has been there since January and grown so much. He looks forward to going to school and often doesn't want to leave when we come get him. I really can't recommend it highly enough. read more

Such a sweet and welcoming place! The teachers are so loving, playful, and patient. The facility is new, bright, and beautiful. Teacher Vicky's passion for learning shines through in every part of this school. read more

I will admit I was nervous about sending my daughter to preschool after doing a nanny share for 1.5 years, but I have to say it was the best decision ever. The teachers at PE are incredibly loving, they really understand the needs and preferences of all individual kids and they communicate very well. I also love all the creative projects they do and the fact that they play outdoors every day (weather permitting of course). I highly recommend PE, can't think of anything I didn't like about this place. read more

We love PE, the teachers and the management. These past 18+ months of pandemic year have been so challenging for all of us and the teachers and management have really done their best to support and be there for the kids. Our daughter transferred to PE from a different preschool 3 years ago and although I was concerned about her adjustment she had no issues from day one. She is now in her final year, loves her teachers, and is happy to go to school. I just enrolled my younger son who will be turning 2. Miss Vickie the headteacher is lovely and caring and always helpful if we have questions or concerns. My daughter adores her. I love that they have plenty of outdoor time and that the school is project based and the kids choose what they want to learn about. The classrooms are so pleasant and full of light and I look forward to being able to visit inside again when regulations allow! Miss Maddie and Miss Shirley are the best, love you guys!! read more

This school is incredible. It is a gem of San Francisco. Our son started there when he was two. Petite Explorer has prepared him to start kindergarten in the Fall happy, confident, loving school and learning, and with great social and academic skills. The school is extremely well run and communication between parents and teachers could not be better. The kids and families are super friendly and interesting people. The facilities are clean, bright, and beautiful (lots of creative toys and natural wood) and with a nice outdoor area for the kids. The curriculum- social/emotional, academic, physical, developmental- is outstanding. The school does a fantastic job of nurturing creativity and curiosity. And maybe most important- the teachers and culture are fantastic. Ms. Vickie and all the teachers are kind, thoughtful, loving, extremely professional and have deep backgrounds in early child education. This is our third preschool in the City- there is no comparison. We feel incredibly lucky to have found Petite Explorer. Our son has been at the school for two years and every day of it has been great. read more

I am a former teacher from Petite Explorer, and I cannot express how special this place is! I had such a positive experience teaching at this school, it makes me miss San Francisco. This was my first year teaching in a classroom setting, and I immediately felt so welcomed and so at home here. The teachers here are dedicated to what they do. They really commit to developing children's social and emotional skills. I also loved teaching at this school because of the diverse and inclusive learning environment. All of the children come from very different families and share such loving and respectful relationships. You will notice that students work together, they are compassionate, creative, and they express themselves confidently. And the head teacher/owner Vickie is incredible. She truly prioritizes the needs of those around her and she leads with passion. This place will always hold a special place in my heart! read more